Movement Direction

I’ve been directing movement for as long as I’ve been performing. It can be about defining an overall theatrical style with movement in scenes and transitions, working on a specific role with an actor, or finessing a single scene that needs attention. It might extend to creature and animal movement. It has included working with both humans and puppet performers (and the puppeteers, of course!), developing movement based choreography, but most importantly is always about serving the story and the theme of each specific project. I pride myself on being able to work fast, and to collaborate with the performers enabling them to do their very best work.

There’s no spotlight for movement direction, but you can see some of my other credits below:

Bringing puppets to set, based on the creatures developed by the fantastic animators, to rehearse, interact and perform with the actors, giving real eyelines, responses and physical contact with creatures large and small.

Gravity – Movement Artist and Motion Control

Working with the stunts and SFX teams to create a believable (and shootable) sense of zero gravity, that exists for the majority of the film. Working on both R and D and shooting 1st and 2nd unit using a variety of hands on and remote control techniques, responding to personal input from the director and performers.

Supporting the director and creative team from casting to rehearsals to shoot. Working with the cast on set to create the seamless integration of physical mimicry between two actors playing the same character.

By Nick Stafford, at the New London Theatre, Directed by Marianne Elliot and Tom Morris
And Handspring Puppet Company, 2009 – 2011 (original West End cast member)
Movement and Horse Choreography Assistant to Toby Sedgwick for February and March recast 2011.

Animal Farm – Movement and ChoreographyBy George Orwell, at Theatr Clwyd Cymru, Directed by Tim Baker in 2011. Position shared with Mikey Brett, a fellow War Horse veteran – Animal movement work with the cast, and movement direction

Raven Boy – Movement Director

By Darren Clarke and devised by Infectious Theatre for Jacksons Lane, Directed by Jennifer Pearcy-Edwards in 2011 – Movement Direction and animal work

Olympian– Choreographer

Fashion film for Theatre de la Mode season launch, directed by Camilla Robinson – Movement choreography.

Feathers In the Snow – Movement Director

By Philip Ridley at the National Theatre Studio, Directed by Corinne Micallef in 2008 – Movement direction, physical vocabulary with the company.

True Love Waits – Movement Director

By Evan Placey, Kenneth Emson and Marcelo Dos Santos, Directed by Adam Quayle and Hannah Tyrrell-Pinder. Appearing at Pulse, Latitude, and Theatre 503 in the UK, and also Zagreb international Theatre festivals in 2010. Choreography and movement direction.

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Recent Projects

Some select projects include Leading a team of puppeteers on Fantastic Beasts, and puppeteering as a part of the amazing Creature FX team on The Force Awakens, working as part of a team that assisting Toby Sedgwick (a long time hero of mine!), in his work creating sections of choreography for the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics. Our team worked with thousands of volunteers coordinating movement, and implementing Toby's work in the rehearsal room and on the floor at the stadium... and of course performing with them on the night, too!

My Movement Artist Showreel includes a good deal of work I directed Movement and Puppetry on: